“Nature is said to be the cause of all material activities and effects, whereas the living entity is the cause of the various sufferings and enjoyments in this world.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 13.21)

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कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे हेतु: प्रकृतिरुच्यते
पुरुष: सुखदु:खानां भोक्तृत्वे हेतुरुच्यते

kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛtve
hetuḥ prakṛtir ucyate
puruṣaḥ sukha-duḥkhānāṁ
bhoktṛtve hetur ucyate

“Are not the people right? The ones who blame God for everything. He is the original potency, after all. It is from Him that the material and spiritual worlds manifest. He is the beginning, the middle, and the end. He was there before anyone else. He revealed this secret directly to Lord Brahma, who is the creator.

अहम् एवासम् एवाग्रे
नान्यद् यत् सद्-असत् परम्
पश्चाद् अहं यद् एतच् च
यो ऽवशिष्येत सो ऽस्म्य् अहम्

aham evāsam evāgre
nānyad yat sad-asat param
paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca
yo ‘vaśiṣyeta so ‘smy aham

“Brahma, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.9.33)

“The impersonal understanding has the support from Vishnu Purana, which describes a fire starting in one place and then distributing its influence across the entire imaginable sphere. God is that original sphere. Since the influence of that fire, heat and light, by comparison, goes everywhere, the universe becomes something like the body of God.

“Let us take one fragment of that body. One portion, if carving out lines on a map. Within that place there is so much turmoil, heartache, consternation, sadness, depression, unfairness, injustice, maltreatment, abuse, and horror. These take place within the purview of God, since we have established that He is everywhere.

“Does it not stand to reason, then, that He should accept some of the blame? Should we not point the finger at Him? Is He not responsible for the horrible things that happen to us? I know some people who are of the highest character. They always look to help others. They do nothing for themselves.

“Then, one day, tragedy strikes. They suffer greatly. Meanwhile, the evil ones continue to enjoy. They live in palatial residences. They have a reserved time slot on the popular television stations, to appear as guests. They lie with impunity. They are not afraid of being exposed, because they know that nothing will come of it. How can God allow for such disparity? How can He stand by and do nothing?”

The standard instruction within the science of self-realization naturally flows in this direction. If compared to an online course, one sold by a respected establishment and taught by knowledgeable leaders, this issue would serve as one of the chapters or subsections. The heading could be titled, “Just who exactly should get the blame?” If there was a courtroom with an unbiased and fair jury, what would their verdict be?

The explanation is that material nature is the first cause of the results. This is because the living entity is not the doer. They can make a choice in action, but the expected result is not guaranteed. There is a limitation based on the body type, for instance. The dog may wish to speak in clear English, but there is a prohibition based on the type of body. The old man wishes to return to the field of play, to compete against players in their youth, but the same vim and vigor is no longer there.

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि
गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः
अहङ्कार-विमूढात्मा
कर्ताहम् इति मन्यते

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate

“The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.27)

These limitations are due to nature. The same nature is also responsible for the results. We know that rain mixed with cold temperatures will create a certain condition. As will extended exposure to the sun. These are fixed laws of nature. They may have a different specific impact based on the object of connection. For instance, the penguins can survive in the coldest temperatures, but this does not mean that cold suddenly changes in properties. The penguins have a certain body type conducive to a certain type of climate.

Material nature is the immediately visible cause, and the result is either favorable or unfavorable. Happiness or distress. Sukham or duhkham. Good and bad, guna and dosha, are due to the individual. This is the secondary cause, in terms of visibility. The results are from the choices of the individual. For instance, if I eat too many slices of pizza for dinner, the resulting pain in the stomach is first caused by nature. A certain volume of food held within a specific area, namely, the stomach. That food expands within an area not built to handle such volume.

The first cause of the result is nature, but the enjoyment or suffering is originally based on my choice. This action of a living being with a corresponding response is known as karma. Karma is the karana that leads to association with different kinds of gunas, which are material qualities. The material qualities react differently to the effects of nature. Gunas are within that nature and also affected by the same nature.

समो ऽहं सर्व-भूतेषु
न मे द्वेष्यो ऽस्ति न प्रियः
ये भजन्ति तु मां भक्त्या
मयि ते तेषु चाप्य् अहम्

samo ‘haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu
na me dveṣyo ‘sti na priyaḥ
ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā
mayi te teṣu cāpy aham

“I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.29)

The role of God in the entire picture is neutrality. He is neither favorable nor antagonistic. With respect to karma, He is neither for nor against. It is a shadow world, after all. The material nature, maya, is like a replica of an eternally manifest place. We can refer to that place as the spiritual world, or Vaikuntha, which is the place free of anxieties.

We can further define karma as the basis upon which for God to act. Karma is the mechanism for the shifts in the material nature, in delivering results. There is always an initial cause, which is action, but the exact result is determined by higher forces. Since karma begins with choice, we can accurately say that it is the living entity who influences their own future enjoyment or suffering.

We can blame God all we want, for creating the material nature in the first place, for instituting a system such as karma, but what good will that do? The system is there. We are living within it. The influence of karma can stretch many lifetimes, and so we are right now suffering or enjoying based on past choices.

बिगरी जनम अनेक की सुधरै अबहीं आजु
होहि राम को नाम जपु तुलसी तजि कुसमाजु

bigarī janama aneka kī sudharai abahīṃ āju
hohi rāma ko nāma japu tulasī taji kusamāju

“The many past births you spoiled can be rectified right now, today, if you start chanting Shri Rama’s holy name and renounce bad association, says Tulsi.” (Dohavali, 22)

Goswami Tulsidas instructs that the past experiences can be purified. Though those lifetimes are right now in the category of “spoiled,” they can turn into something like a blessing. This is provided that the end is auspicious. Karma is not eternal. We can opt out of the system. This is one way to understand the purpose of genuine spiritual life. Put an end to karma, stop the spinning wheel of suffering and enjoyment, and find a permanent home with a permanent situation of transcendental enjoyment.

In Closing:

Pain and misery to me came,
All upon God to blame.

Since this system He created,
With material nature instated.

But seated back neutrally to observe,
From choices getting what I deserve.

Chance now to stop wheel of karma spinning,
Through dharma the Vaikuntha realm winning.

Categories: questions

Tags: god, hare krishna, karma, poem, poems, poetry, religion